Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez plans to host Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Madrid in December, days after Spain plans to hold a high-level summit with Moroccan Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch in the Spanish capital, Spanish outlet “The Objective” reported.
The Algerian leader has not traveled to Spain since taking office in 2019. Sánchez last visited Algiers in 2020, months before a diplomatic crisis with Morocco and Spain’s later endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for the Sahara.
This visit in December comes with added sensitivity following the UN’s adoption of a resolution reaffirming support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan on October 31.
Paving the way for Tebboune’s visit, Spain’s government is set to appoint Ramiro Fernández Bachiller as the new Spanish ambassador to Algeria on Tuesday. He will replace Fernando Morán Calvo-Sotelo, who is retiring. Fernández Bachiller has served as ambassador in Poland, Romania, and Gabon.
Spain and Algeria restored commercial ties last year after a 28-month dispute.
Spanish companies lost an estimated EUR 3.2 billion in exports during that period. Shipments to Algeria fell from EUR 1.9 billion in 2021 to EUR 330 million in 2023. Trade has not returned to pre-crisis levels. Migration has become the sharpest flashpoint this year, with 3,900 people reaching the Balearic Islands from Algeria from June to September.
Diplomats say Algeria has eased action against smuggling networks to pressure Spain into speeding up visa approvals for Algerian citizens.
Algerian officials say Spain has restricted visas in recent months. Spain’s ombudsman reported a rise in complaints over the difficulty of securing appointments at Spanish consulates in Algeria and Morocco. The dispute has led Algeria to delay visas for Spanish officials and block entry for Spaniards of Moroccan origin on security grounds.
The visa dispute has shaped a broader breakdown in migration cooperation. Algeria no longer accepts the return of Algerian nationals from Spain, ending a long partnership that had limited irregular arrivals.
